In my opinion, indentured servitude is not fair. It can be unfair because no matter when they started they are free when they turn 21. The indentured servants weren’t always treated fairly. Some kids were kidnapped and were forced to be indentured servants. Although some kids agreed to it they didn’t know the conditions they would be working on.
This system wasn’t fair to the younger children. Older children worked for fewer years. In the article “Bound For A New Life”, Robert worked for nine years because he started at 12. On the other hand, Sarah worked for seven years because she was 14 when she started. A few years later they both became free at 21.
They were not treated fairly. The text stated that Sarah was beaten by her master’s wife. It said, “ His wife was a mean-spirited woman who beat me for the smallest mistake.” According to the article, it said that for seven years, Sarah cleaned and cooked, she also mended and tended to her master’s children and weeded his vegetable garden. The article stated, “My clothes became ragged my belly was never full.” It also said that “I existed mostly on corn gruel, peas, and a little bread.” In addition, the text said that many other servants died from heat and disease.
Some kids were kidnaped and forced to be indentured servants. The kids were taken from the streets of London. It stated that Robert got kidnaped in paragraph 1 where said, “I was living on the streets of London, begging for food. One terrible night, two men grabbed me.” According to the text, it said that children like Robert were a disgrace. Robert got kidnaped because London was too full of orphans, begging and stealing on the streets. After he got kidnaped he arrived in Jamestown. In the text, it stated that Robert worked for the Virginia Company. Robert found out that Life in Virginia was even harder than he had imagined.
However, some kids willingly went to Jamestown. Sarah was in a poor family. According to the text, it said that Sarah willingly signed papers to work till 21. It stated that in paragraph 8, “I listened, though, and finally decided to sign the papers.” Sarah was 14 when she started working. She worked at her master’s house. Her work was cleaning, cooking, washing and mending. She also tended to her master’s children and she weeded his vegetable garden. Sarah worked for seven years. Her master also had a wife who according to the text said, “His wife was a mean-spirited woman who beat me for the smallest mistake.” Then she was free after seven long years. It also said “I have married a man who was also indentured. Now we have our own farm near Jamestown. I guess America is a land of opportunity after all!”
Based on the text, my opinion is that indentured servitude is not fair. The younger the child was, the longer they worked. They weren’t treated fairly. Some kids were kidnaped and others agreed to it. Indentured servitude was not fair regardless if they agreed to it or not.